The always outspoken and entertaining Stephen A. Smith will be in Detroit this week for a special gala, and he’s bringing ESPN’s “First Take” along with him.

DETROIT – Five places in Detroit have been officially deemed historic for their role in the Civil Rights Movement. The Civil Rights Movement sought to demand equality for African Americans in the North as much as in the South,” said Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Martha MacFarlane-Faes. “By listing these sites, the National Register recognizes Detroit’s significant role in the growth of the movement. Officials say these five sites now join nearly 2,000 existing historic sites in Michigan that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The newly-selected sites were chosen by a 14-person Civil Rights advisory committee comprised of local historians familiar with Detroit’s Black history, as well as staff members from the State Historic Preservation Office and Detroit’s Historic Designation Advisory Board, officials said.

DETROIT – For decades, WGPR-TV in Detroit provided a distinct perspective as the first Black-owned TV station in the country. It was a movement spearheaded by Karen Hudson Samuels, who worked as the station’s news director for years. He sold several properties to raise enough money, with which he launched the TV station in 1975. “My mom said to call the station and talk to Karen Hudson or Joe Spencer,” James Jackson said. WGPR aired its last TV show in 1995, offering a distinctly Black perspective for three decades.